File handles

[chucketn]

I want/need to make a few wooden file handles. I want to use some Bradford Pear wood from a tree that was knocked down in my yard a year ago last December.
I cut up several limbs of 1-2" dia. into short lengths, coated the cut ends with paraffin wax, and stored them in my shed to dry. I think they should be ready to turn.
Does anyone have a plan/drawing/description of an easy to make drive spur for turning wood? I have searched the web, but haven’t found anything.
I have an idea in my head, but want to refine my info before going to the shop. I want to make a spur first to chuck in the lathe chuck, and if the design works well, I'll put it on a MT3 taper for the headstock.

Chuck in E. TN

 

[Herbiev]

Home Woodturning Tools Drive Spurs & Live Centres Carba-Tec® Economy Live Centres
Carba-Tec® Economy Live Centres


http://www.carbatec.com.au/images/hires/MCL-222.jpg





Economy centres of the following types and sizes:

MCL-222 - four prong drive centre, no. 2 MT

MCL-221 - four prong drive centre, no. 1 MT

MCL-202 - ball bearing live centre, no. 2 MT

MCL-201 - ball bearing live centre, no. 1 MT


Displaying 1 to 4 (of 4 products)
Model Product Name Price
MCL-201 Ball Bearing Live Centre - No. 1 MT
Special pricing until 12/06/2011 $15.00
Add:
MCL-202 Ball Bearing Live Centre - No. 2 MT
Special pricing until 12/06/2011 $15.00
Add:
MCL-221 Economy 4 Spur Drive Centre - No. 1 MT
Special pricing until 12/06/2011 $10.00
Add:
MCL-222 Economy 4 Spur Drive Centre - No. 2 MT
Special pricing until 12/06/2011 $10.00
Add:
Displaying 1 to 4 (of 4 products)

These come in 1or 2 MT for $10.00 each. Not worth making heat treating etc

 

[Tin Falcon]

Here in the states try
http://www.pennstateind.com/store/headstock-drive-centers.html
or

http://woodworker.com/78-spur-drive-1mt-mssu-136-883.asp?search=&searchmode=2
woodcraft or rockler may have them as well but not readily showing up on a site search
woodcraft does have a couple stores in Eastern TN you may be close to one.
One in Johnson City and one in Knoxvill as well as stors in Chatanoga And Nashville
http://www.woodcraft.com/stores/Default.aspx?locationType=state&location=TN
Tin

 

[chucketn]

Now this is what I’m talking about, one pear wood file handle, and I made it, spur and all, na-na-na-na-na-na ;D:

http://s571.photobucket.com/albums/ss157/chucketn/Machining/Handles/


Chuck in E. TN

 

[Kermit]

How do you do a "superglue finish"?

 

[Sleazey]

One of Guy Lautard's "The Machinist's Bedside Reader" volumes has an article about how to measure your hand, and use those measurements to proportion a handle to exactly fit your hand, for maximum control and comfort.

If you are going to make them yourself, might as well make them for yourself.

 

[Tin Falcon]

Well I should have actually read your post.
an answer to your question.
http://www.frets.com/HomeShopTech/Projects/DriveCenter/drivecenter.html
you may like this better you will have to mod it some as it is based on a 5 -c collet. but interesting at any rate.
Tin

 

[chucketn]

Well, Tin, thats a great idea. Thank you Mr. Ford as well. I'll look into that.
The spur I made is pretty good, but not perfect. It can slip/strip out of the work if I put on too big a cut.
Now to apease the metal gods for turning "brown stuff" on my metal lathe!

Chuck in E. TN

 

[Kermit]

How do you do a "superglue finish"?

Here is one way to do it. http://www.huntchat.com/showthread.php?t=47955





gee, thanks guys. I can always count on the friendly folks here to answer my questions.

 

[chucketn]

Sorry Kermit, stopped to celebrate with a sip of good Burbon, and got caught up in a good movie.
I apply superglue to turning wood with a cloth or paper towel to which I have added a dab of oil type finish. As the files were my late fathers, the oil I used was "Linspeed" stock finish, a linseed oil type finish, also from Dad. I dab some oil on the cloth, and apply a coat to the wood. Then take a tube of super glue and dab some on the oil spot on the rag, and apply to the spinning wood. Got the idea from a pen turners website. The oil and super glue react together to cure fast and hard. HTH.

Chuck in E. TN

 

[Omnimill]

Here is one way to do it. http://www.huntchat.com/showthread.php?t=47955

Good link, thanks for that!

Vic.

 

[krv3000]

HI all well i prefer my file handels to be flat and nor rawnd i will pst a regards bob pic

 

[lectrician]

For things like file handles you can just pretend it is metal and turn it just the same. four jawed chucks work fine. pear will work fine with centers and a lathe dog. I do it all the time and i have a spur center.

 

[chucketn]

Lectrician, can you post a picture of your center?


Chuck in E. TN

 

[kwoodhands]

Make a screw center instead. Will never slip, can be made for numerous sizes by interchanging the screw.Take a sheet metal screw,turn part of it down to a diameter that you can thread with a die. Tap a cylinder of steel,brass whatever for the screw.
Loctite the thread in the cylinder.I use screw centers instead of the spur center unless the hole will be objectionable.In your case,the hole will be the start of the file tang.
You will have to bore deeper for the tang unless you use a large screw to begin with.
I use sheet metal screws because the are not tapered, wood screws are tapered.
You can protect the wood threads from damage in the chuck with a dowel bored like a collet.You might crack the dowel ,doesn't matter as long as it holds long enough for you to turn and thread the other end. Hanger bolts can be bought that are the same as I described,They are way too large though for your needs.
mike

 

[lectrician]

i am still working on figuring out how to send pictures. I bought my spur center from woodcraft and any on line wood store should have them. wood turners use Morse tapers just like metal turners. I find them a pain because you have to cross saw the wood and center drill (a small twist drill, not a center drill) they are good for soft woods but for a wood like pear it is easier just to center it up like aluminum. PS. pear will continue to look better and better with time.
As a note, when you are turning wood on a metal lathe i make a special lathe bit to do that. it is a 7/16 square bit with the top hollowed out to a 3/8 inch diameter. the front relief is huge. grind it back until you have a cutting edge angle of about 40 degrees. the bit is also held well above center so that it shears off the wood rather than scrapes it off. Good luck.

 

[krv3000]

as promist my file handels